Railway vehicle wheel



March-27, 1934. J. cs. BLUNT 1,952,488 V RAILWAY VEHICLE WHEEL v Filed Dec. 11, 1931 Z SheetS-Sheet 1 MT RNEY March 27, 1934. 1 BLUNT 1,952,488

RAILWAY VEHICLE WHEEL Filed Dec. 11, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BY .fames G. .B/unf A NE Y Patented Mar. 27, 1934 t 1 A 1,952,488

. UNi'r-Eo STATES PATENT OFFICE vmunwmr vnmcu: wnnnr.

James G. Blunt, Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to American locomotive Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 11, 1931, Serial No. 580,241 I The present invention relates chiefly to locowall 9 which surrounds the entire wheel center, motive drivingwheels; and fourth inner walls 30 between the spokes,

An object of this invention is to provide a drivwhich are continuations of their adjacent spoke ing'wheel construction characterized by an efliside walls 3. The wheel is providedwith a tire cient distribution of metal and a: maximum 21 of usual formation which is secured around 60 amount of strength, and which may be manuthe outer wall 9 of the rim of the wheel center factured with a relatively great degree of cerin the ordinary manner. 'The dispositions of the tainty as to freedom from defects. side walls of the spokes and their continuaticns The invention'is illustrated in the accompanydefine the through openings between the spokes,

' mg drawings in which Figure 1 is a front view and the wall 7 defines the axle hub and crank 65 V in elevation of a wheel center embodying the pin hub openings 10 of the wheel structure.

present invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged section An integral counterbalance 11 is formed on one taken-011 the line 1I1I of g. 3 is an side of the wheel structure, the spokes adjacent enlarged section taken on the line IlI--III of this counterbalance being shortened according- Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on the ly and a. solid strengthening connector 12 is pro- .70

line IVIV of Fi Fig- 5 i n enlarged secvided between the central portion of the countion taken on the line-V-Y of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is terbalance and the axle hub. A purpose of this an enlarged section'taken on the line VIVI of connector is to provide an easier flow of metal, Fig. 1; Fig. 57 is a front view in elevation of anwhen casting, from the hubs to the counterbalother form of wheel center embodying the presance, thereby lessening the likelihood of shrinkcut invention; Fig. 8 is an enlarged section taken age cracks during the different periods of coolon the line V1]I.VII I of Fig. '7; Fig. 9 is an en- .Pockets 13 are drilled into the counterbala ed section taken on the line IXIX of Fig. ance block near the rim of the wheel and lead 7; Fig. 10 is an enlarged section taken on the line is deposited within the pockets for increasing 25 11-1! of '7; Fig. 11 is an enlarged section the weight of the counterbalance. Plugs 14 are taken on the line XI-XI of Fig. 7; and Fig. 12 welded into the pockets after the lead has been is an enlarged section taken on the line XII-XII placed therein. of Fig. 'I. The tires of the wheels are shown in The wheel illustrated in Figs. '7 to 12 inclusive the drawings in broken lines' in Figs. 1 and '1. is formed similarly to the wheel illustrated in 30 Referring in detail to the drawings the wheel Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, the like parts being indistructure comprising the present invention is of cated on the drawings by like reference characa' hollow fourwalled or box section type. Reters, with the letter a added thereto on the ferring to the first embodiment, the spokes are wheel illustrated in Figs. 7 to 12 inclusive. hollow and comprise four walls adapted to sup- In this form of wheel structure the counterport wheel carrying loads and including a front balance is not cast solid but comprises a cored wall 1 and a" rear wall 2 which are especially space 15 open at the front and divided into sepadapted to resist revolving or turning stresses, arate spaces 16 by transverse partition walls 1'7. and side walls 3'3 which are especially adapted The spaces 16 are covered by a plate 18 secured to resist lateral or wheel flange stresses. These at the ends of the walls 17 by headless studs 19' .j-Q walls are of uniform thickness and the front or' with their ends welded over, and the plate is outside wall 1 is provided with an opening 4 welded around its edge, as indicated at 20, to the having a cover plate "5' disposed thereon and wheel structure. The spaces 16 are filled with welded about-its edges at 6. The axle hub, crank lead (not shown) to provide the counterbalance. pin hub and rim' structures are likewise hollow The cover plate 18 is made of a thickness to pro,-

.;,,- (Figs. 5 and 6). The hub structures comprise vide any necessary-additional weight over that front and rear walls 11) and 2b which are conwhich is provided by the lead in. the spaces 16, tinuations of the front and rear walls 1 and 2 and the plate may be machined off to reduce itof-the spokes, an inner side wall '7, which wall to the required'thickness in order to obtam the 7 surrounds the axle hub and crank pin hub exact desired adjustment.

5-3 openings 10, the inner wall of the wheel hub, The openings 4 and 4a in the spokes of the and fourth walls 8, between the spokes, which are wheels are provided to permit the removal of continuations of their adjacent sp'oke sidewalls 3. the core used to form the hollow of the wheel The rim structure-comprises front and rear walls structure in the casting of the same and also to 10 and 26 which are'oontinuations of the front permit the escape of gases during the process a; and rear walls 1 and-2 of the "spokes, an outer of casting. The cover plates 5 and 5a are ap- 11o plied after the core has been removed so as to exclude any foreign matter from entering the hollows.

In the wheel illustrated in Figs. '7 to 12 inclusive, it will be seen that the walls 3a, 8a and 3110 define the through openings between the spokes. The wall 7a defines the axle hub and crank pin hub openings 10a of the wheel structure, and the wall 9a surrounds the entire wheel center. The axle hub and crank pin hub structures are defined by the walls in, lab, 2ab and 8a, and the rim structure is defined by the walls 9a, 3ac, lac and 2110. The short spokes and the connector employed in the first described embodiment are not present in this form by reason of the relatively large size of the counterbalance space 15 which extends, at its central or widest part, from the wall 9a to the axle hub structure.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the present invention provides a wheel structure wherein there is a more efficient distribution of the metal throughout, thus avoiding losses resulting from shrinkage cracks hereinbefore referred to, and which structure is of relatively great strength.

While there has been hereinbefore described approved embodiments of the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many and various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of theinvention, and that all such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims are contemplated as a part of this invention.

The invention claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A locomotive driving wheel center of substantial box section formation comprising an axle hub; a crank pin hub; a rim and walls arranged to support carrying loads, certain of sa d walls being arranged to resist turning stresses and certain of said walls being arranged to resist wheel flange stresses, and said wheel center having cored cavities within said walls substantially surrounding said axle hub and crank pin hub I and adjacent to said rim.

2. A locomotive driving wheel center of substantial box section formation comprising walls arranged to support carrying loads, certain of said walls being arranged to resist turning stresses and certain of said walls being arranged to resist wheel flange stresses, said wheel center being provided with cored spaces adapted for the introduction of counterbalance material.

3. A locomotive driving wheel center of substantial box section formation having a counterbalance weight portion provided with pockets for the reception of relatively heavy material for adjusting its weight.

4. A locomotive driving wheel center of substantial box section formation having a counterbalance formed integrally therewith.

5. A locomotive driving wheel center of substantial box section formation provided with cored spaces for the introduction of counterbalance material; and a covering means for said spaces.

6. A locomotive driving wheel having a wheel center of substantial box section formation comprising walls arranged to support carrying loads, certain of said walls being arranged to especially resist turning stresses and certain of said walls being arranged to especially resist wheel flange stresses, and a counterbalance portion; and a separate weight attached to said portion.

'7. A locomotive driving wheel having a wheel center of substantial box section formation comprising walls arranged to support carrying loads, certain of said walls being arranged to especially resist turning stresses and certain of said walls being arranged to especially resist wheel flange stresses, said walls having openings formed therein to permit removal of core substance and relief of gases from the interior of said center; and covering means secured over said openings.

8. A locomotive driving wheel center formed as an integral casting of substantial box section formation comprising an axle hub; a crank pin hub; and walls arranged to support carrying loads, certain of said walls being arranged to especially resist turning stresses and certain of said walls being arranged to especially resist wheel flange stresses, and said casting having cored cavities within said walls substantially surrounding said axle hub and crank pin hub.

9. A locomotive driving wheel center formed as an integral casting of substantial box section formation comprising an axle hub; a crank pin hub; and a plurality of spokes comprising walls arranged to support carrying loads, certain of said walls being arranged to especially resist turning stresses and certain of said walls being arranged to especially resist wheel flange stresses, said casting having cored cavities substantially surrounding said axle hub and crank pin hub, said spokes being of hollow formation throughout their lengths and said spoke hollows communicating with said cored cavities surrounding said hubs.

10. A locomotive driving wheel center formed as an integral casting of substantial box section formation comprising an axle hub; a crank pin hub; a rim; and a plurality of spokes comprising walls arranged to support carrying loads, certain of said walls being arranged to especially resist turning stresses and certain of said walls being arranged to especially resist wheel flange stresses, said casting having cored cavities substantially surrounding said axle hub and crank pin hub and adjacent to said rim, said spokes being of hollow formation throughout their lengths and said spoke hollows communicating with said cored cavities surrounding said hubs and adjacent to said rim.

11. A wheel center comprising a hub; a rim; front and rear substantially vertical spaced walls of substantial disc shape disposed between and connecting said hub and rim, said walls having registering openings; and transverse walls connecting said front and rear walls along opposite edges of said openings, said front, rear and transverse walls combining to form hollow four-walled spokes box-shaped in cross section and to provide cavities within said center around said hub and adjacent to said rim.

12. In a locomotive driving wheel center, a hub; a hollow rim; a counterbalance; and hollow spokes with walls extending transversely of the plane of said wheel center and merging with the inner wall of said rim, a wall of the spoke nearest said counterbalance extending radially to the outer wall of said rim. 1

JAMES G. BLUNT. 

